Festival Sale Rounds Off Karaka 2017
5 February 2017
New Zealand Bloodstock’s Festival Sale concluded the National Yearling Sales Series today with pleasing results in terms of clearance and the day’s top price.
In total 157 horses sold for a clearance rate of 78% with the top price of $90,000 the highest price paid in the session since 2013. The total traded was $2,332,000 (down from $3,020,200 last year) for an average of $14,854 (down from $16,065 last year) and the median dropped from last year’s figure of $12,000 to equal 2015’s figure of $10,000.
“It was pleasing to see the Sale end up with 78% clearance and to have buyers from Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore stay on,”
“We also have some new initiatives domestically with the likes of the New Zealand Chinese Jockey Club that could grow to be quite considerable contributors to the industry” said New Zealand Bloodstock Managing Director Andrew Seabrook.
Purchasers of today’s highest priced Lot, the New Zealand Chinese Jockey Club bid to $90,000 to secure Hallmark Stud’s Super Easy colt at Lot 1132 from the winning O’Reilly mare Astrogal. Destined for the Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs stable, the group’s CEO Alan Fu is pleased with how the concept has been received.
“There’s been interest from the local Chinese community to invest in racehorse ownership for some time but the general perception out there was that it’s a very expensive sport. We’ve put a lot into changing that perception, educating people and answering their questions.”
“Syndication has made racing horses more accessible and our members like the idea, the lifestyle and the community we’ve created. When we showed the colt to investors today, he was quickly fully syndicated.”
“We hope the Super Easy colt can be a Karaka Million horse and earlier in the Sale we also bought into a Power colt with David Ellis.“
Paul Moroney Bloodstock outlaid the most in the Festival Sale, spending $171,500 on four Lots including colts by Redwood and Roc de Cambes and fillies by Dalghar and Showcasing with fellow local agent Phill Cataldo outlaying $131,000 for five Lots. Victorian-based trainer Paddy Payne was the most active of the internationals with five Lots bought for $113,000 and his top price paid being $55,000 for an imposing Shocking colt at Lot 1179.
The session’s leading vendor was Haunui Farm who traded 12 horses in total for $193,000 including a top price of $40,000 for Lot 1241 to Hong Kong-based Tartan Meadow Bloodstock.
Off the back of some pleasing results throughout the week, Little Avondale Stud and their resident sire Per Incanto topped the vendor and sire by average tables at $40,833 and $28,500 respectively. Stuart Hale secured their leading price, purchasing Lot 1308 for $42,500 with the colt being from the speedy, stakes-placed juvenile Silk Spur.
The final result for Karaka 2017 saw $82 million traded, down 5% on the previous record breaking edition. The average remained steady at $86,973 versus last year's $88,042. The median declined to $50,000, $5,000 less than last year’s record and $5,000 more than in 2015. The clearance rate was an encouraging 78%, up from 75% in 2015 and down slightly from 2016 (80%).
All horses purchased at Karaka this week are eligible for the lucrative Karaka Million Series with two $1 million races now available for graduates as two and three year olds. Nominations for this series must be received by 5pm Tuesday 7 March 2017.
2017 Festival Sale Statistics
| 2017 FESTIVAL SALE | 2016 FESTIVAL SALE | 2015 FESTIVAL SALE | |
| AGGREGATE | $2,332,000 | $3,020,200 | $2,816,650 |
| AVERAGE | $14,854 | $16,065 | $14,670 |
| MEDIAN | $10,000 | $12,000 | $10,000 |
| CLEARANCE | 78% | 79% | 71% |
| CATALOGUED | 241 | 298 | 329 |
| SOLD | 157 | 188 | 192 |
| TOP LOT | Lot 1132 B.C Super Easy x Astrogal $90,000 | Lot 1199 Jimmy Choux x Asian Wind $80,000 | Lot 1176 Br.C. Iffaaj x Skimmio $85,000 |
Top Lots
| Lot | Type | Breeding | Vendor | Purchaser | Price |
| 1132 | B.C | Super Easy / Astrogal | Hallmark Stud | Logan Racing Stables / NZ Chinese Jockey Club (Ruakaka) | $90,000 |
| 1212 | G.C | Dalghar / Icy Reception | Long Acres Stud | Regal Farm (Cambridge) | $70,000 |
| 1179 | B.C | Shocking / De Palio | Te Runga Stud | Mr PB Payne (VIC) | $55,000 |
| 1346 | B.C | Jakkalberry / True Star | Berkley Stud | Mr TM Magill (Tirau) | $52,000 |
| 1288 | BRG.F | Dalghar / Rave Review | Brighthill Farm | Paul Moroney Bloodstock (Matamata) | $48,000 |
| 1340 | B.C | Roc de Cambes / Tillyfor | A. J. Webb | Paul Moroney Bloodstock (Matamata) | $47,500 |
| 1256 | BL.C | Redwood / Mrs Pea | Sunny Hill Farm | Paul Moroney Bloodstock (Matamata) | $46,000 |
| 1276 | B.C | Super Easy / Pinot Grieve | JK Farm | Mr GK & Mrs MS Thomas (Hamilton) | $46,000 |
| 1191 | BR.C | Coats Choice / El Pzaaz | Berkley Stud | Tartan Meadow Bloodstock (Hong Kong) | $45,000 |
| 1298 | B.C | Showcasing / Runaway Bride | Westend Partnership | Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (Cambridge) | $45,000 |
Leading Purchasers by Aggregate
| Purchaser | Bought | Aggregate | Average | Top Price |
| Paul Moroney Bloodstock (Matamata) | 4 | $171,500 | $42,875 | $48,000 (Lot 1288) |
| Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (Cambridge) | 5 | $131,000 | $26,200 | $45,000 (Lot 1298) |
| Mr PB Payne (VIC) | 5 | $113,000 | $22,600 | $55000 (Lot 1179) |
| Stuart Hale & Co (Cambridge) | 4 | $108,500 | $27,125 | $42,500 (Lot 1308) |
| Lisa Latta Racing (Palmerston North) | 5 | $101,000 | $20,200 | $30,000 (Lot 1118) |
| Regal Farm (Cambridge) | 3 | $98,000 | $32,667 | $70,000 (Lot 1212) |
| Logan Racing Stables / NZ Chinese Jockey Club (Ruakaka) | 1 | $90,000 | $90,000 | $90,000 (Lot 1132) |
| Tartan Meadow Bloodstock (Hong Kong) | 2 | $85,000 | $42,500 | $45,000 (Lot 1191) |
| Mr GK & Mrs MS Thomas (Hamilton) | 2 | $67,000 | $33,500 | $46,000 (Lot 1276) |
| Miss CC Hua (Singapore) | 2 | $55,000 | $27,500 | $40,000 (Lot 1233) |
Leading Vendors by Aggregate
| Vendor | Sold | Aggregate | Average | Top Price |
| Haunui Farm | 12 | $193,000 | $16,083 | $40,000 (Lot 1241) |
| Hallmark Stud | 5 | $157,000 | $31,400 | $90,000 (Lot 1132) |
| Berkley Stud | 7 | $145,000 | $20,714 | $52,000 (Lot 1346) |
| Little Avondale Stud | 3 | $122,500 | $40,833 | $42,500 (Lot 1308) |
| Cambria Park | 7 | $120,000 | $17,143 | $32,000 (Lot 1268) |
| Long Acres Stud | 7 | $115,000 | $16,429 | $70,000 (Lot 1212) |
| Grangewilliam Stud | 10 | $113,000 | $11,300 | $20,000 (Lot 1275) |
| Brighthill Farm | 5 | $103,500 | $20,700 | $48,000 (Lot 1288) |
| Rich Hill Stud | 12 | $103,000 | $8,583 | $20,000 (Lot 1196) |
| Leanach Lodge | 9 | $91,000 | $10,111 | $23,000 (Lot 1283) |
Leading Vendors by Average (three or more sold)
| Vendor | Sold | Average | Aggregate | Top Price |
| Little Avondale Stud | 3 | $40,833 | $122,500 | $42,500 (Lot 1308) |
| Hallmark Stud | 5 | $31,400 | $157,000 | $90,000 (Lot 1132) |
| Woburn Farm | 3 | $21,667 | $65,000 | $30,000 (Lot 1118) |
| Berkley Stud | 7 | $20,714 | $145,000 | $52,000 (Lot 1346) |
| Brighthill Farm | 5 | $20,700 | $103,500 | $48,000 (Lot 1288) |
| Archer Park | 3 | $18,000 | $54,000 | $30,000 (Lot 1295) |
| Cambria Park | 7 | $17,143 | $120,000 | $32,000 (Lot 1268) |
| Long Acres Stud | 7 | $16,429 | $115,000 | $70,000 (Lot 1212) |
| Haunui Farm | 12 | $16,083 | $193,000 | $40,000 (Lot 1241) |
| Seaton Park | 6 | $14,750 | $88,500 | $30,000 (Lot 1329) |
| Westend Partnership | 5 | $13,900 | $69,500 | $45,000 (Lot 1298) |
Leading Sires by Average (three or more sold)
| Sire | Sold | Average | Aggregate | Top Price |
| Per Incanto | 3 | $28,500 | $85,500 | $42,500 (Lot 1308) |
| Dalghar | 6 | $27,750 | $166,500 | $70,000 (Lot 1212) |
| Super Easy | 11 | $22,773 | $250,500 | $90,000 (Lot 1132) |
| Iffraaj | 3 | $22,000 | $66,000 | $40,000 (Lot 1241) |
| Coats Choice | 3 | $21,000 | $63,000 | $45,000 (Lot 1191) |
| Shocking | 5 | $21,000 | $105,000 | $55,000 (Lot 1179) |
| Roc de Cambes | 6 | $20,417 | $122,500 | $47,500 (Lot 1340) |
| Redwood | 5 | $20,400 | $102,000 | $46,000 (Lot 1256) |
| Jakkalberry* | 7 | $19,571 | $137,000 | $52,000 (Lot 1346) |
| Thewayyouare | 5 | $17,800 | $89,000 | $30,000 (Lot 1156) |
* First season sire